The Foundling of Dragon Riders
by Acantha Burganette
Summary: This takes place after Eragon establishes the school for Riders. Eragon takes in a half blooded elfling named Mirimel (Miri for short) and she grows into a mischievous little elf. But prejudices against are numerous. Will she overcome them? Will Eragon help her? Will Murtagh come back? Will Arya and Eragon ever get together? Find out by reading on!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: This is my first story, so please be patient.**

Chapter one- A beginning and an end

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's

Eragon was tired. It had been more than eight months since he had finished building his school for Dragon Riders, and he still had yet to hear any news of new Riders. He sighed and cut a slice of bread off of the loaf on his table. Sleep deprivation and hunger did not go well together.

"Are you alright, Eragon?" Angela asked.

"Huh?" Eragon looked up, startled. He had forgotten that Angela had come over for tea. "Oh, um, yes, I'm fine."

"Really?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Then you'll remember what we were just talking about?"

"I, um..."

"Eragon." Angela set down her tea mug and looked at him seriously. "Being the head of the Dragon Riders does not mean that you are allowed to skip out on necessities, such as sleep."

"I know." Eragon looked anywhere but at Angela as silence prevailed. His gaze drifted from his clay mug filled with herbal tea, to his table, and then around his small kitchen and dining room, and then out the window to his left. Though his hut was small, it held a perfect view of the small valley that he had made his hom

. It was a bleak evening, very rainy and cloudy, and the sun had just set. Eragon sighed and put his head in his hands. Every night he waited up to see if a message would come saying that there was a new rider. Every night he was disappointed.

"Eragon, there will be more Riders." Angela said as she got up from the table. "You just need to be patient. Now I'm going to go back to my house, and now I suggest that you get some sleep." She said and then walked out the door.

 _She is right, little one. You must rest._ Saphira said as she curled around cabin for her own rest

 _I know. I'm going to get some sleep soon._ But she was already asleep. Eragon sighed again and finished his bread and tea before clearing up the dishes and walking to his bedroom. He didn't even bother washing up, he just fell onto the bed and fell asleep.

. . .

Eragon awoke to a banging on his door. He groped around by his bedside for his sword; Brisingr, and then grasped it as he groggily made his way to the door. Opening it, Eragon looked around for someone, but he could see no one. He was about to close the door and return to sleep when he heard a ... meow? He looked down at his feet to see a sleek silvery grey cat sitting primly in front of vaguely bread loaf shaped bundle with a small piece of paper tucked into the cloth. Eragon bent over to pet the cat, but it ran into the night before he could. His brow furrowed with suspicion as he picked up the bundle to see...

A baby. With pointed ears. Staring up at him calmly out of eyes that were two different colors. One amber, one green. Eragon got over his shock enough to get out of the chilly night and to hold the baby properly, and then he picked up the note. Written on it was a short message in a messy hand that simply said:

 _This child is a half-elf half-werecat orphan. I place her in your care so she may grow up in peace. Her name is Mirimel._

 _ **And so it begins...**_

 **Thanks a lot for reading! Reviews are welcome!**

 **-Acantha**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two- Mirimel the mischievous

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but me OCs**

Mirimel grinned as she climbed a very tall tree. Today was the day before her thirteenth birthday, and she was planning it to be epic. It wasn't even dawn yet, but she had been awake for a while. There was so much to be done. Miri tried not to giggle as she thought of her plans. First, she was going to put honey in her father's hairbrush, then she would put a trip wire in front of Blodhgarm's door. After that, she would put a spider into Angela's hand cream jar. Miri had something planned for each and every person at the school, especially Caidin.

 _He won't know what hit him._ Miri thought mischievously. Caidin was her father, Eragon's second apprentice. The first apprentice was Hadoc. He was nice, but he was seven and a half years her senior. Caidin, however, was only a year older than her, and even though he was an elf and Hadoc had been born a human, Caidin was by far more unrefined, odious, annoying and immature than Hadoc ever could be. Or ever had been. Yes, she had something special planned for Caidin. Some special indeed.

Miri sat on a high branch and caught her breath, then she reached into a hole in the tree trunk beside her and pulled out a basket full of trip wires, hair dye and so much more. She grabbed what she needed from the basket and then put it back. Then, with mischief written on her face, Miri set out to do her best to cause havoc.

. . .

Two hours later, Miri climbed into her second story window silently. Her work was done, and she had done it well. Now, it was time to get ready for her birthday. Miri walked over to her bedroom vanity and sat down. She rarely used it, but it had been a gift from her Uncle Roran. He had made it himself.

Miri looked in the mirror and nearly laughed at herself. Her waist length silver hair was incredibly tangled and it had a few leaves and twigs stuck in it, and her face was dirty. She smiled and plucked every single leaf and twig from her hair before carefully brushing it and washing her face. After that, Miri changed into nicer, and more importantly, clean clothes. Specifically, she wore a deep green tunic that was much too long in the sleeves and hem, but she kept it up with a wide woven cloth belt. On her lower half, she wore soft brown leggings and intricately woven sandals. She looked at the vanity again and spotted her satchel. As Miri reached for it, she saw a fairth of her and her father, right beside a sea shell sent to her from Eragon's friend Jeod and a comb sent to her from her adoptive uncle King Orik.

 _I remember that day._ Miri thought. The fairth had been made by her father and given to her a couple of months ago. It was an image of her and Eragon standing side by side under the entrance to their home. Like all fairths, it showed how the maker saw the people in the fairth. Eragon looked exactly the same, but Miri looked incredibly mischievous and yet so innocent that she you almost didn't notice the mischief in her different colored eyes.

Suddenly, there came a yell from Blodhgarm's cabin. Miri burst out laughing and then walked down stairs to be greeted by Saphira's eye looking through the door accusingly at Miri.

 _What have you done now child?_ Saphira asked. Her only response was a laugh. Then, Miri walked closer and pulled up her long sleeve so she could put a hand on Sapphira's cheek.

"Don't fret, I'm taking the day off tomorrow so we all can enjoy my birthday." Miri smiled before adding on in a quiet and very conspiratorial tone; "Just wait and see what I have planned for Caidin."

Saphira shook her head slightly and then went to make sure Blodhgarm was alright. But Miri knew that Saphira would probably laugh as hard as Miri would at the prank. Neither of them liked Caidin very much, but they both didn't mind his Dragon; Elundir. Of course on Sapphira's part it was because Elundir was her egg, but on Miri's part it was because Elundir was just a really nice Dragon.

"Mirimel. What have you done this time?" Said Eragon as he groggily made his way down the stairs.

"Good morning, Father." Miri said as she promptly started preparing breakfast.

"Please tell me that you haven't killed anyone." Eragon ran his fingers through his messy hair and sighed.

"She hasn't yet." Blodhgarm said as he walked the door. "But Caidin might better watch his back."

"Good morning Blodhgarm, vor." Miri smiled innocently as she poured water into the kettle. "Did you like your present?"

"Wait, what present?" Eragon said as he looked around confused.

"It was very... awakening." Blodhgarm said, ignoring Eragon.

 _Awakening wouldn't be my choice of words, but then again, I wouldn't call a tripwire a present._ Sapphira said humorously.

"Will someone **please** tell me what is going on?!" Eragon pleaded with Miri, Blodhgarm, and Sapphira as all three laughed.

 _Nothing that concerns you, little one._ Sapphira said.

"But- " Suddenly, Eragon was cut off by a loud yell coming from Caidin's room. Two seconds later, he stormed into the kitchen, his long silver starlight hair that he was so proud of now tangled and covered with blue, slimy, and sticky gunk. He brandished his hairbrush at Miri, unable to find words to express his anger at first.

"You... you... you monster!" Caidin yelled. Miri just continued to laugh. Even Blodhgarm laughed. Caidin narrowed his eyes at them and then, seeing that he had no hope of winning this one, he went outside, presumably to wash his hair.

As the every one other than Caidin sat down for breakfast, Angela walked into the house and sat beside Miri, closely followed by Solembum, the werecat, who leaped up and lounged on Miri's shoulders.

"What kind of dye did you use on Caidin's hair?" Angela asked. Miri raised an eyebrow.

"Good morning to you too." Miri took a sip of tea before answering. "It was a combination of ink and various other dyes. I wouldn't be surprised if his stayed blue for at least a month."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Eragon looked at his daughter with a shocked expression on his face.

"If nothing was ever harsh, no one would learn any lessons." Miri replied and Solembum started purring. "Anyway, as I was saying," Miri turned back to Angela and continued speaking to her about the various plants she used at Caidin's expense. As they walked outside, Miri stopped and looked around at her home.

Either side of her was forest, but right in front of her was a drop off, not quite a cliff, but almost. When you looked straight in that direction, you could see Dragon Valley. Various cabins and huts that the elves and Dragon Riders lived in were scattered all throughout the valley. There was a stream and a lake to one side, and to the other was a mountain with a big, black, and crooked tower sticking out of the side like a poisoned finger. All around Miri, the leaves were turning into the colors of fall. Even though it was a muggy and pretty miserable morning, to her it was beautiful. Perfect.

 _Home._ Miri thought, perfectly at peace. And then she saw a great unfamiliar green dragon swoop out of the sky, followed by a small grey one and a lavender one of about the same size.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs

Chapter 3- The Unexpected Visitors

Eragon smiled as Miri walked outside. He was happy when ever she was around. His little girl. If someone had told Eragon thirteen years ago that he would be a father, he would have thought that they were either drunk or insane.

"She really was unexpected, wasn't she?" Blodhgarm said.

"What?"

"Miri. She was an incredibly unexpected baby."

"Yes, that she was." Eragon's smile widened as he continued. "I fear she's been spending a little too much time with Angela, though."

"I believe that Miri would have been exactly the same if she had never met Angela." Blodhgarm replied. "And Angela is the closest thing to a mother she has."

"Aye." Eragon laughed a little as he recalled what had happened when Angela had seen baby Mirimel.

* _flashback*_

 _Eragon jumped as the door to his small house opened, and then quickly looked down at the baby he held in his arms. She started to cry._

 _"Eragon!" Angela said. "What. Have. You. Done."_

 _"She's not mine!" Eragon said quickly. "Well, she is now." He rocked the baby to try and calm her down, and then handed Angela the not from the baby's blanket. "Here." She took the note and read it, then made a sound that was half groan, half sigh._

 _"Who would ever trust you with a baby?" Angela said. "Well, what's done is done, and cannot be undone." She walked forward suddenly and gently pulled Mirimel from Eragon's arms. "For goodness sake, Eragon. If you want the little foundling to live, you need to feed her." Then she walked out the door, still holding Mirimel in her arms._

 _*end of flashback *_

Eragon stood up and examined his kitchen. There was still bread and butter and crumbs on the walnut wood table, and a few of the cherry colored cabinets were half open. The the fire in the stone fireplace was burning out, thankfully, and the large window by the doorway was open. Eragon went to close the window, when he saw the green dragon and it's two companions.

"Blodhgarm." Eragon said calmly. "Do you know why Hadoc and Queen Arya are here?" Blodhgarm rushed to the window and muttered something in surprise.

"Nay. Who is the silver dragon?" Blodhgarm replied.

"No idea." Eragon turned and half ran out the door to in time to see Fírnen land in front of Miri, who was petrified with fright. He didn't even glance at the other dragons, but rushed to Miri. She clung to Eragon like he was her lifeline as the queen of the elves herself leapt off of the large green dragon. "Arya." Eragon said as he subconsciously put a hand on his daughter's shoulder protectively. The tall raven haired elf stepped toward Eragon with a warm smile on her face.

"Eragon." Arya said kindly. "It's good to see you." She stated the last sentence as if she has made a surprising discovery.

"I would say the same, but I know why you're here." Eragon pulled Miri closer and she looked from him to Arya with a mixture of fear and confusion on her face.

"Papa?" Miri said quietly. "What's going on?"

"Don't be afraid, litil niernen." Eragon smiled at Miri lovingly. "Queen Arya is here to wish you a happy birthday."

"As am I!" Miri and Eragon started as a voice said this exclamation. They turned towards the forest, where the other dragons had landed, and saw a tall, well built, young man. He had bright golden hair and a pleasant smile, and was wear a green tunic with leggings and boots. An elven sword hung from a thick woven belt, and a knapsack hung on his back. He was walking towards Miri and Eragon followed by a stunning lavender dragon. He stopped a few feet away from them and held his arms out to either side, his gaze fixed on Miri. "Six months, and you've already forgotten me." He said with mock sadness. "And here I went to the trouble of getting you a birthday present from Tronjheim!"

"HADOC!" Miri yelled as she ran forward and hugged the young man. Hadoc smiled and hugged her back.

"I do hope you're not just doing this so you'll get your present."

"If you're quite done with the hellos," Arya said, looking a little annoyed. "There's someone you all need to meet." Arya turned around and motioned for Fírnen to move aside. When he did, he revealed the small silver dragon, who was coming closer, and, right beside it, stood a young red headed human girl.

 **Author's note:**

 **Hey guys! Thanks for reading! I appreciate it more than you know. I hope you like it! Please review! I really would love suggestions. Thanks!**

 **-Acantha**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Reunion

The red haired girl stepped forward cautiously, as if she was unsure weather to run away or attack. At the closer distance, Miri saw that the girl looked to be about fifteen years old, she had an air of experience about her, though. Like she had lived through much. She was tall and thin, and her hair was dark red and hung like a bloody waterfall around her pale face. She didn't look scared, only cautious, and a little defiant even. Her large hazel eyes looked from one person to another suspiciously, and her left hand rested upon her empty belt, as if she usually kept a weapon there. The girl's grey tunic was tidy, as if she had just tidied it, but her brown leggings were dusty and wrinkled.

"Come and say hello, Faylinn." Arya motioned for the girl to come closer, and put a hand on her shoulder when she did. The girl, who presumably was Faylinn, mumble the traditional elven greeting and bowed slightly. Eragon returned the greeting, and then Arya removed her hand from Faylinn's shoulder. "Eragon, I would like you to meet Faylinn. She is a new rider."

"Obviously." Caidin said from beside Eragon. Mirimel started snickering at his remark, but then full on laughed when Eragon yelled with surprise at Caidin's arrival.

"Hello Caidin." Arya said. She was immensely annoyed. "I know who you are, but who in Alagaesia is that little rascal." Arya pointed to the laughing Miri. Eragon looked a little hurt and shocked at the same time as he hugged Miri (awkwardly- she had just stopped laughing) and pulled her over to meet Arya.

"Arya," Eragon said calmly, putting hand on Miri' shoulder to keep her from running off. Miri folded her arms, not in a defiant way, but in a timid way, as if she was cold or scared, and her big eyes were pointed at Arya, making the queen feel uncomfortable. "This is my daughter, Mirimel."

"Your what?!" Arya's eyes widened and she looked both heartbroken, shocked and even a little scared. Caidin took this moment to put his hand on Miri's other shoulder and start being himself.

"Eragon's daughter, Mirimel." He said. "Also known as Lady Mirimel the Mischievous, Miri the weary, and... Midget." In answer to the last nickname, Miri punched Caidin in the stomach. As hard as she could.

"I- I see." Arya said. She examined the elfling in front of her. _The girl must take after her mother._ Arya thought. For Miri didn't look a bit like her father. She had long hair that was a steely grey, and cascaded beautifully down her back in waves. Miri looked for the most part like an elf, with a refined jawline and a pointed chin. Her eyes were round and lined with ebony lashes. In fact Miri's eyes were one of her two most unique features. One eye was a cross between being bronze and amber, the other was most definitely green. The other feature that was unique about Miri was her height, for she was about the height of a small dwarf, and as skinny as a tree branch.

"Well, Miri," Eragon said, breaking the awkward silence. "Why don't you and Caidin show Faylinn around. In fact, take Hadoc as well. Show them our little project." The little elfling smiled eagerly and led Hadoc away into the forest, leaving Caidin to guide Faylinn. Caidin gestured for Faylinn to go first, and then followed her into the forest.

"Mirimel seems like a lovely girl." Arya said.

"She is." Eragon said, smiling after his daughter.

"You and her mother must be proud of her." Arya said with a smile on her face, but there was a bit of an edge to her tone. Eragon, however, looked at her, shocked.

"Me and her-" Eragon stumbled to find the right words. "Arya, has not one person in the past thirteen years told about my little foundling?"

"F- foundling?" Arya looked at Eragon, both hope and utter shock written clearly on her face.

"Aye." Eragon smiled. Blodhgarm and Angela(who both had been standing awkwardly in the background the entire time) deciding to leave them be, walked silently into forest to make sure that the children stayed out of trouble. "Arya, we have much to discuss." Eragon said as Arya took his hand. He gestured, and they walked into the small stone hut, arm in arm.

 **Hey! I would like to thank everyone who has followed and reviewed. You have boosted my confidence beyond imagination.**

 **-Acantha**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- Discovery

As Miri, Hadoc, Faylinn, and Caidin made their way through the well worn path through the woods, oblivious to the fact that they were being followed, they made time short by talking.

"So," Caidin said as he tossed his now half-starlight/ half-blue hair. "If I heard correctly, your name is Faylinn?"

"Aye." The red haired girl said quietly.

"Where do you hail from?"

"Dras-Leona." Faylinn spoke even more quietly than before, but Mirimel, who had been skipping along several yards ahead, heard her and gasped. But instead of being worried, like most people, she ran to Faylinn excitedly and -accidentally knocking Caidin down in the process- started peppering her with questions.

"Really? What part of Dras-Leona? Did you see Lake Leona? Was it big? Can you see Helgrind from the town? Is it scary? What's it like there? Tell me everything!" Miri paused for a moment, looking a little bashful. "But only if you want to..."

"I lived in a small house on the outskirts of Dras-Leona." Faylinn began, walking beside the small elf that had some how captured her curiosity and attention. "But I had a good view of the the city if I sat on the roof. I'm not sure if it would be a good place for such an elf like yourself, though. You would probably get lost. Lake Leona is beautiful. It's so large, if you were to stand at the edge of it, you would not be able to see the other side. And Helgrind... Helgrind is terrifying." As Faylinn described her home in vast detail, Miri and Caidin listened intently, awestruck with curiosity. Suddenly, she stopped, awestruck.

"Welcome to school, Faylinn." Miri said. For right in front of them was a giant doorway; large enough for two dragons larger than Sapphira to walk side by side through with ease. The doorway was carved into the cliff face and and had no door. Miri took Hadoc's hand and led him through the doorway. Inside, there was a giant hall, with a vaulted ceiling and lots of ledges and nooks big enough for a full grown dragon, and yet it was elegant and refined.

 _Welcome little ones._ Saphira flew down from one of the ledges, followed closely by Firnen, Hadoc's dragon, Elundir, and the silver dragon. Elundir lowered her head to Caidin's level and closed her eyes as he put his hand on her muzzle. Her ice blue scales shone in the sunlight as she hummed with contentment.

 _Ah. The connection between a young dragon and their rider._ Hadoc's dragon said.

"It's not as if you're much older than them, Slaegr." Hadoc replied, going up to the lavender dragon and leaning against him.

"So, the light blue dragon is Elundir, the dark blue dragon is Saphira, the green dragon is Firnen, and the lavender one is Slaegr." Faylinn went to stand beside the silver dragon, looking a little confused.

 _I prefer light mauve._ Slaegr said pointedly. _But if I may ask, who is this lovely dragoness?_ He tilted his head towards the elegant silver dragon.

 _I am Belgond._ The dragon's voice was light like a summer breeze, and yet clear and sharp like a shard of glass.

"Wait, you have been traveling together and you didn't even know each other's names?!" Caidin said.

"We only met up a few moments before we arrived here." Hadoc explained. "I flew in straight from Tronjheim. I had hoped to surprise Mirimel for her birthday."

"Well I sure am surprised!" Miri ran up to Hadoc and hugged him.

"Caidin?" Faylinn asked quietly. "Are those two siblings?"

"Well, yes and no." Caidin scratched the back of his head before finishing. "Hadoc became Master Eragon's apprentice when Midg- _Miri_ was three. They're as close as siblings, but they are not actually brother and sister."

"I see. And is Mirimel **your** sibling?" Faylinn asked curiously.

"No!" Caidin sounded shocked at that statement. After that, the two stood in silence for a few moments.

"You fancy her, don't you?" Faylinn finally said.

"WHAT?!" Caidin stepped back and paled at the thought. "Mirimel is the bane of my existence! I would never- could never- think of her like that! Besides if I did, Master Eragon would have my head mounted on a pike for all to see!"

"Well, then." Miri said, from right behind him. Caidin paled even more and opened his mouth to apologize. "Don't say you're sorry. I know you won't mean it and it would just be unnecessary. Besides the feeling's mutual. Come on, let's look at the rest of school." She motioned for them to follow her and then raced up a staircase that was carved into the wall. The staircase ended and the entrance to what appeared to be a rather large cave with no discernible back wall. Mirimel started walking into the cave, much to Caidin's dismay.

"Alright, Miri." He said nervously. "You've shown us the school. Can we go back now?"

"Don't be a wuss, Cai." Miri yelled over her shoulder. "Besides, that's only the entrance hall! The real masterpiece is right up ahead." She kept walking, and Faylinn followed, side by side with Hadoc.

"I still don't think this is a good idea." Caidin grumbled. "And don't think that I don't know where we're going."

"Do you?" Mirimel shot back. "Because as I recall, **you've** been having your **swordsmanship** lesson in the woods, while **I've** been having my **spell casting** lessons down here."

"Well at least I can hold a sword!" Caidin yelled at her.

"But you're only being taught to fight because you're incompetent at everything else!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"What are they saying?!" Faylinn asked Hadoc. Hadoc turned to her with a confused expression on his face before suddenly sighing and letting out a chuckle.

"I forget sometimes that not everyone understands the ancient language." He smiled and said. "Those two grew up speaking it. To them, the common tongue is strange and difficult. They tend to slip into their native tongue when they're not paying attention." Then he turned to the arguing children and shouted a few words in the ancient language. Caidin and Miri stopped and looked at each other before turning and continuing into the cave. They all walked together a little while more, when Faylinn stopped, an awed expression on her face. Miri smiled, and Caidin rolled his eyes. But none of them could help but be in awe of what they saw...

. . .

"She's proven to be an excellent student in magic, or so I've heard from her teachers." Eragon said happily, speaking of Mirimel and gift. "But now, I have wasted all this time speaking of myself and my daughter. Tell me, old friend, why do you come here? You know full well that I cannot handle another apprentice, and I can't help but wonder why you have chosen to visit. A letter would have sufficed to tell me of Faylinn and her dragon."

"But it wouldn't have." Arya spoke quickly and sternly. "Eragon, you **must** have noticed that Faylinn has surpassed the age that children are usually tested at."

"Of course, but-"

"No buts, Eragon!" Arya stood and banged her fist on the table. "This happens more and more every year! People only send those they see fit! The eldest, the strongest, the smartest, the richest. But only one family in one hundred sends their daughters! Fewer and fewer come to the testing, most are dwarven girls and boys, some are urgals, but they are shunned by most. What was once fair and equal is now biased and cruel! If **we** do not do something to correct this wrong, no one will!"

"Arya, I know."

"THEN DO SOMETHING!"

"I AM!" Eragon yelled, then sighed and rubbed his temples, as if the effort strained him. "I have received letters, Arya. Letters from Nasuada, Orik, and even a few from King Orrin. They all agree with you. I **am** working for a solution, Arya. It may not appear so, but I have been searching for the solution for almost a year. I had hoped to reach one by now, but things have not gone... according to plan."

"I see..." Arya sat back down. "What did Caidin do?"

"Nothing, he's actually been fairly well behaved as of late." Eragon looked down at the table. "It's Mirimel."

"I thought she was the well behaved one."

"She is. But she has her heart set on apprenticeship. I've told her that it's unlikely that she'll ever become a dragon, seeing as none of the eggs we have hatched for her. But she has pointed out that there are a few she's never tried in Ellesmira."

"And you want her to come to Ellesmira and try again?"

"As much as it would warm my heart to see my child become a Rider, I also fear for what the future would hold." Eragon paused and sighed. "But I do not think she will ever be fully happy or completely satisfied with life until she is sure."

"I will keep her safe in Ellesmira." Arya smiled.

"Oh, I don't fear for her..." Eragon looked Arya in the eye with a grave expression. "I fear for Ellesmira.

MUA HA HA HA! Another chapter! I hope you like it! Comment! Review! Like! Share! All of that!

\- Acantha


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- New Opportunities

"I told you we shouldn't have been down there." Caidin said to Miri. At that moment, the two children were sitting on a boulder in the woods, they both had their backs to each other. Faylinn was leaning against a tree, absentmindedly braiding and unbraiding her blood red hair, but Hadoc was back in Eragon's hut, speaking with Queen Arya and Eragon.

"Well at least I have some sense of curiosity and adventure in me." Miri said and turned half around to throw a nut at Caidin's head. "Unlike some."

The children had gotten to the end of the tunnel about twenty minutes before, and had stepped into a great stone hall, with a vaulted ceiling and great pillars and elegant archways. But... they had been caught by Angela and Blodhgarm and escorted out for some arbitrary and most probably fictitious reason that supposedly had to do with ventilation and the position of the stars.

"I do too have a sense of adventure!" Caidin jumped up and yelled.

"Then prove it." Miri turned around calmly and sat cross legged on top of the boulder, her arms folded, coolly and calmly glaring at the newly blue haired boy.

"What do you mean; 'prove it'? A real adventurer shouldn't have to 'prove it'."

"Which is why you're not a real adventurer." Mirimel retorted and stood up on boulder, balancing with all the gracefulness of a cat.

"I am too!" Caidin yelled, stomping closer to her. Then, in one swift movement, Miri leaped -using Caidin's shoulder as a step- and grabbed hold of a tree limb. She swung onto the branch and balanced carefully on it.

"Fear me, all heroes, for I am Mirimel, the great and powerful!" She yelled, standing carefully on the branch and extending her arms to either side. "All those who wish to prove that they are true and brave adventurers must face me!"

"Oh, really?" Caidin said mischievously.

"Yup!" Miri sat down happily, smiling at the boy below her. They stared at each other for a few minutes, neither of them moving. Then, Miri hopped up and jumped onto a higher branch. "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!" She yelled as she swung through the trees, Caidin hot on her heels below.

And Faylinn, who had been drawn out of her daze by the commotion, simply stared after them and shook her head.

Inside of Eragon's hut, however, a different scene was playing out...

"Mirimel is too young to leave home!" Angela yelled. She, Blodhgarm, and Hadoc were standing around the dining table arguing with Arya and Eragon.

"For once, I agree with Angela." Blodhgarm said. "Her innocence will be taken from her! I would never send my daughter away if she was as young as Mirimel!"

"Than it is good that you are not Mirimel's father." Eragon said sternly. "I have given this much thought. Mirimel will never be happy until she has a little bit of adventure. In Ellesmira, she will be safe and protected. She will have someone by her side when ever possible. In Ellesmira, I can easily send someone to retrieve her." At this, Arya stood up to defend the safeness of her city, but Eragon held up a hand and stopped her. "I do not feel as if I will have to, but I will feel better knowing. Besides, this will not just be an adventure for my daughter, but a test of her strength and independence."

"I understand, Eragon, but-" Eragon cut Hadoc off mid sentence.

"But you will be going with her." Eragon looked Hadoc in the eye almost challengingly, daring Hadoc to speak against him. "I do trust you, Arya, but you will be busy training Faylinn, not to mention your queenly duties, and so I am sending Hadoc to both help you train Faylinn, and to watch over my daughter so that you might not have to."

"Wait, I am training Faylinn?"

"Yes. I already have to train Caidin, not to mention several other projects." Eragon said tiredly. Truthfully, all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and hide, but he had responsibilities. And unfortunately, those responsibilities included dealing with his mischievous daughter and the terrible fact that she was growing up.

"Ahem, speaking of which..." Blodhgarm added hesitantly. "The reason why we interrupted your discussion with Queen Arya is because... well..."

"We caught the children in the entryway." Angela interrupted. "They almost discovered Miri's little surprise."

"That's because I told Miri to show them our latest project." Eragon explained.

"But there was a bit of a... situation with unintended consequences that led to us having escort the children out." Blodhgarm said quickly.

"Wait, what?" Arya and Hadoc both said with surprised expressions on their faces.

"It's nothing for you to worry about." Eragon said, standing up. "I have a few things to take care of. Angela and Blodhgarm, would you mind giving me a hand? Arya, would help Hadoc watch the children? Thank you." And then he, Angela, and Blodhgarm walked briskly out the door without another word.

"There's something off about them today..." Hadoc said suspiciously as he sat down at the table. Arya looked at him, obviously annoyed.

"You think?"

Hey people!

Sorry for the slow updates. But I'm going to try to update at least once a week from now on. Thanks for your support!

-Acantha


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Chaos

Mirimel raced through the trees, Caidin hot on her heels right below her. Darting tree to tree, branch to branch, much like a squirrel, she almost felt like she was flying. Miri had always wanted to fly. When she was younger, she would look up at the sky and watch Elundir and Saphira flying together as they flew in perfect harmony. Gracefully gliding through the air, as elegant as swans, as fierce as, well, dragons.

"I'm catching up!" Caidin yelled from the ground. Miri shook her head and realized that while she had been daydreaming, her opponent had caught up with her.

"Not for long!" She cried, and attempted to leap onto a higher branch. Miri could have sworn that her fingertips brushed the branch, but suddenly she was falling through air, weightless. And then everything went black.

 _Mirimel._

A soft voice called to Miri out of the darkness that surrounded her.

"Yes?" She replied, her voice echoing around her. Miri looked around, trying to see who was calling her, but to no avail.

 _Mirimel, my child, come to me._

The voice was more discernible now, and Miri could tell it was a man's voice, deep and soft and silky. Even though Miri was usually cautious around strangers, this voice was faintly familiar, as if she had heard it in a dream.

"Where are you?" She asked, moving through the blackness, hands outstretched, trying to find her way.

 _I am right here, my dearest one._

This time it was clear where the voice was coming from. Miri spun around and saw a pinprick of light from a lantern. She ran towards it.

 _Come to me, Mirimel. Come to your father._

"I am coming!"

 _Come, Mirimel._

 _Mirimel..._

"Mirimel!"

Miri awoke in Caidin's arms as he was screaming her name. His face bore an expression of unbridled, unrestrained worry and fear. When he saw that she had awoken, he hugged her before suddenly letting go and jumping away like she had the plague.

"What happened?" Miri asked, looking around. She was sitting on the forest floor, covered in leaves.

"You fell. I caught you." Caidin said matter of factly. "You were mumbling."

"How observant of you." Miri said sarcastically as she pulled herself up. "Look, um, can we forget this ever happened?"

"Why? Embarrassed that the squirrel queen lost her balance?" Caidin teased, using the nickname that he had given her years ago.

"I am not a squirrel!" Miri protested. "But yes, I am embarrassed. I don't usually fall."

"I won't tell anyone, but you will owe me." Caidin said seriously.

"Would you swear in the Ancient Language?"

"Why would I need to-" Caidin stopped as Miri shot him a glare that would dragon fire feel cold. "... fine."

And so after making their pact, the two children made their way towards home with little conflict.

But unbeknownst to them, quite the opposite was happening on the other side of the forest...

"YOU LOST THE CHILDREN?!" Arya yelled at Faylinn. "HOW COULD YOU LOSE TWO LOUD, MISCHIEVOUS, AND RATHER UNRULY CHILDREN?!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down." Faylinn said quietly, much to Hadoc's chagrin.

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!" Arya yelled.

"QUEEN ARYA." Hadoc interrupted. "Faylinn did not have the responsibility of watching Caidin and Miri. We did. So we are to blame. Not Faylinn." Arya stared at Hadoc for several agonizing minutes, as if deciding whether he was right or not.

"Fair enough." She said finally. "But all three of us will be in trouble if Eragon finds out about this."

"Good point." Hadoc replied. "I'll take Faylinn towards the west along the path, why don't you go along the southeastern path through the forest?"

"Sounds like a fairly good plan. Let's go." Faylinn said quickly and then ran off in the general direction of west.

"You better go make sure that she doesn't run off the cliff." Arya said to Hadoc, who nodded and then strode after Faylinn, his hands in his pockets. Arya smiled slightly and then turned heel and trotted off towards the forest. She wandered down the path for a while, before climbing a tree for a better vantage point. After spending a good hour looking for the children from her view point in the tree, Arya began to climb down, very frustrated. "Where in Alagaesia are those two?!" She finally said to herself.

"Right here."

Arya looked down at the ground to see Caidin and Miri standing there below the tree looking up at her like they were watching a very interesting storyteller.

"When get down there, I am going to have some very choice words for you two." Arya growled and started to climb down.

"Run!" Miri yelled and the two took off, laughing and pushing each other, leaving behind a very angry Arya.


End file.
